GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, AZ — Thousands of hikers take on the Grand Canyon’s Rim-to-Rim trek every summer, covering more than 20 miles from one side of the canyon to the other. This year, however, a major trail closure has some experts raising serious safety concerns.
Brian Speciale has been hiking the Grand Canyon since 1986, when he was just 13 years old.
“Every time I’m going down South Kaibab or Bright Angel, and you see that first expansive canyon view…it’s giving me the chills to talk about it right now,” he said. “I was a seventh grader. Didn’t really know what I was doing or what I was seeing, but it’s just something that sticks with you.”
Today, Speciale hosts a podcast dedicated to canyon hiking and has completed the Rim-to-Rim journey many times. This summer feels different, though, even to him.
“I am just absolutely mortified when I think about what this summer could potentially bring,” he said.
The concern centers around a major construction project deep inside the canyon. Crews are working to replace the aging Transcanyon Waterline, which pumps water from the North Rim to both sides of the park.
“Nobody is arguing the importance of that project. It is vital to the future of the canyon,” Speciale said.
Due to the construction, the River Trail is closed, cutting off access to the Bright Angel Trail, widely considered the safest and most accessible way out of the canyon. Hikers are now being rerouted to South
Kaibab, a much steeper trail with little to no shade, no water, and no easy way to turn back.
“It is a very, very difficult hike, even in perfect conditions,” Speciale said. “Now, because of this situation, people are going to be filtered straight up South Kaibab.”
Google Earth
Rim-to-Rim season runs from mid-May through mid-October, when temperatures deep in the canyon can rival those in Phoenix.
“These things are happening every single day already, but now we’re exacerbating the situation by forcing all the people who would be going up Bright Angel now up South Kaibab, just in absolutely dangerous conditions,” Speciale said.
That’s why he’s using his podcast and hiking community to spread the word and try to keep people safe.
“I’m just a, you know, a corridor trail rat,” he said. “I stay on Bright Angel, South Kaibab, and North Kaibab, and try to educate people on the safest way so that they can have the best possible experience in the canyon.”
We reached out to the National Park Service about these concerns, and it states that park rangers are emphasizing heat safety messaging more than ever.
The Park Service cautions that alternate routes like South Kaibab and Tonto are not recommended during the extreme heat of summer. They also urge anyone attempting a Rim-to-Rim hike to come well-prepared, with plenty of water, strong sun protection, and a clear understanding of their physical limits.
